Winding machine



March 12, 1940. c. R. SIBLEY WINDING MACHINE Filed June 29, B38 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 March 12, 1940. c. R. SIBLEY 2,193,044

WINDING MACHINE Filed June 29, 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 ui jl g lnlmlmu I 32 Patented Mar. 12, 1940 UNITED STATES WINDING MACHINE Charles R. Sibley, Marblehead, Mara, assignor to Sibley-Pym Corporation, Lynn,

Masa, a corporation of Massachusetts Application June 29, 1938, Serial No. 216,535

19 Claims.

This invention relates to the manufacture of spherical cores and relates more particularly to the winding of spherical cores with elastic threads or ribbons which are automatically maintained in desired conditions of elongation and tension.

In manufacturing certain types of golf balls, for example, it is desirable to maintain a high degree of tension in the elastic thread which is wound upon the cores. But the higher the degree of tension in the winding thread, the more difficult it is to maintain a uniform tension in the thread, and the more skill and precautions are required on the part of the operator to prevent breakage, all resulting in reduced production and higher manufacturing costs.

This invention provides means for not only elongating the winding thread to provide a desired high degree of tension but also provides means for automatically adjusting the tension tocompensate for undesired tension changes and to maintain the desired standard of uniformity. In one embodiment of the invention, the elastic winding thread is advanced first by a relatively slow speed roll and then by a relatively high speed roll to cause the desired degree of elongation and resulting tension in the thread. Another roller in contact with the thread adjacent the core being wound and acting responsive to changes in the tension in the thread at that point, adjusts mechanism which varies the tension of the thread at a remote point to compensate for any changes in tension to maintain the desired uniform tension.

One feature of the invention resides in providing means for regulating the tension throughout a substantial length of the thread for avoiding concentrated strain and resulting danger of breakage. In the embodiment illustrated, the

changes in tension adjacent the core control tension adjusting mechanism at the supply'reel located a substantial distance from the core.

One object of the invention is to regulate in a novel manner the tension of an elongated, moving, resilient thread or ribbon.

Another object of the invention is to prevent the breakage of moving resilient threads or ribbons which are considerably elongated and so subject to a high degree of tension.

Another object of the invention is to reduce the operative skill and care required for maintaining a uniform high degree of tension in an elongated, moving thread or ribbon.

Other objects of the invention will be apparent from the following description of a preferred embodiment thereof, selected for purposes of illustration and shown in the accompanying drawmgs.

Fig. 1 is a front view in perspective of one embodiment of a machine for practicing the inven- 5 tion in the manufacture of golf balls;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged view of apparatus illustrating the arrangement of apparatus included in the embodiment of Fig. 1 but not shown by Fig- Fig. 3 is a view in front elevation of the elongating rolls of Fig. 1, and

Fig. 4 is a sectional view along the lines 4-4 of Fig. 3. a

In the drawings only so much of one embodill ment of a machine for practicing the invention, is shown as is needed for a complete understanding of the present invention, and additional details of construction may be found in the U. 8. Letters Patent No. 2,033,356 granted March 10, m 1936, and No. 2,060,380 granted Nov. 10, 1936 on applications of Arthur F. Pym.

The winding machine illustrated has a main frame which includes the vertical panel ill from which the rolls II and I! which are arranged a side-by-side in horizontal alignment, project.- The endless elastic apron It extends around the rolls and is adapted to be rotated by one or both of the rolls and to support and rotate the core 20 which is to be wound of the elastic thread 30 Is. One or both of the rolls II and I! may be driven from an external source as shown for example by said Patent No. 2,033,356. The core is maintained in proper position upon the apron l3 by the detector roll l4 which has a curved 36 rim and which is arranged to be rotated freely through contact with the upper side of the rotating core. The detector roll I4 is journalled in the free end of the arm l5 which extends crosswise the front of the panel l0 and is pivotally 40 mounted at its other end on the rotatable shaft l6. As the diameter of [the core 20 increases during the winding operation, the arm IE will move upwardly with partial rotation of the shaft 16. The detector roll I! also functions to maintain the core spherical in shape by continuously reacting with the last wound turns of the thread to displace the core transversely of the winding plane. w

The elastic thread is supplied to the winding machine from the reel I! which is rotatably mounted in a forked frame III which is supported above the panel III by the standard 9. The ten-v ion of the thread at the reel i1 is adjusted responsive to changes in tension in the thread adjacent the core 29 as will be explained later.

The thread leaving the reel l'l passes over the grooved guide rolls 20 and 2!, both of which are rotatably mounted upon an arm 22 which in turn is rotatably mounted at its center upon the supporting bracket 23 which may be slidably positioned upon the standard 9. The lower end of the arm 22 is attached to one end of the spring 24 which is attached at its other end to the supporting arm 25 which in turn is attached to the collar 29 which may be slidably positioned upon the standard 9. The spring 88 acts to exert pressure uponthe thread in the grooves of the rolls 29 and 2| to hold it in the grooves by tending to rotate the arm 22 in a counterclockwise direction (facing Fig. 1 of the drawings). The thread l9 upon leaving the guide roll 2i next passes against the rotatable pressure roll 27 and then over the cylindrical tensioning and elongating rolls 29 and 29. The rolls 28 and 29 and their driving gears 39, 38, 32 and 33 are mounted upon the member 34 which is rigidly held on the back side of the panel I9 by the non-rotatable shaft 35. The roll 28 which is the first of the two rolls 28 and 29 with which the thread contacts, is mounted upon one end of the shaft 36 upon the other end of which the gear 38 is mounted. The roll 29 is mounted upon one end of the shaft 81 upon the other end of which the gear 38 is mounted. The gears 3| and 32 are both mounted upon the shaft 38. The shafts 8t, 91 and 38 rotate within the bosses 39, i9 and ll respectively.

The pressure roll 21 serves to cause the elastic thread to be wrapped around a substantial portion of the periphery of the roll 28 and another pressure roll 42 rotatably mounted upon the free end of the arm 43 which is pivotally mounted on the panel H] at 35, serves to cause the elastic thread to be wrapped around a substantial portion of the roll 29. As a result, there is no appreciable slip between the thread and the surfaces of the rolls 28 and 29 with which it contacts.

In operation, the roll 28 is rotated by the passage about it of the thread H9. The roll 28 rotates the shaft 36 and through it the gear 88. The gear 30 is meshed with the smaller gear 3| and rotates it. The gear 3! rotates the shaft 38 and with it the large gear 32. The gear 82 is meshed with and rotates the small gear 38 which rotates the shaft 31 and with it the roll 29. The gear train steps up the peripheral speed of the roll 29 in a ratio which may for example be 8:1 or greater, with respect to the roll 28. The roll 29 therefore revolves at a much greater speed than the roll 28 and this causes the thread to be elongated to a degree substantially proportional to the ratio of the peripheral speeds of the rolls 28 and 29.

The peripheral speed at which the core 20 is rotated by the apron I3 is equal to or slightly in excess of the peripheral speed of the roll 29 with the result that the core is wound with thread which is maintained under the full elongation imparted to it by the rolls 28 and 29 and normally under the full tension required to rotate the roll 28 and to drive the gear train connected thereto.

The tension of the thread I9 adjacent the core is weighed or measured and continuously balanced to a uniform degree by the action of the dance lever which responds to changes in tension in the thread adjacent the core 28 to adjust the tension of the thread at the reel IT to compensate for tension changes.

The dance lever 5! extends cross-wise the front of the panel 69. The roll 50 is rotatably attached to the left hand end (facing Fig. 1 of the drawings) of the dance lever 5| and as illustrated, exerts pressure upon the thread adjacent the core 29. The roll 58 moves upwardly under decreases in tension in the thread, and is moved downwardly upon increases in the tension of the thread. The dance lever 5! is moved correspondingly. The dance lever is attached at its center to the forward end of a shaft 55 journaled in a ball race 52 in the hub member 53 (Fig. 2.) The inner ball race 54 completes the bearing for the shaft 55 and the rear lever 59 is secured to the inner end of the shaft 55 so that the two levers 5i and 56 move together. The lever 56 is attached at one end by the spring 51 to the threaded bolt 58 which is positioned to the upper portion 59 of the frame by the thumb nut 69. The other end of the lever 56 is connected by the spring 6! to one end of the upper lever 62. The lever 62 is pivotally mounted at 63 to the back of the panel I8 and contains the central substantially horizontal slot 64.

The slot 64 receives the projection 66 on the rod 65 which extends vertically within the standard 9 which has a central opening freely to receive same. During up and down movement of the lever 82 the projection 66 on the rod 65 rides in the slot 6 3 without binding, but is confined within the slot to move the rod 65 upwardly and downwardly as the right hand end of the lever 62 (facing Fig. 2 of the drawings) is moved up and down by movement of the lever 56, which movement is caused by movement of the dance lever 5!, the movement of which in turn is caused by changes in the tension of the elastic thread adjacent the core.

The upper portion of the rod 65 extends through the arm 66 of the support 51 with the spring 68 tensioned between the arm 56 and the nut 69 which is screwed downwardly upon the threaded upper end of the rod 65 to adjustably tension the spring 98. Supported in the ends of the frame 61 are the rollers 70 with horizontal axis, which rollers rotatably contact with the cylindrical end portions H of the reel H and which exert variable degrees of pressure upon the reel to variably tension the thread leaving same, in accordance with the up and down movements of the rod 65 caused by the movement of the dance lever i5.

Pivotally supported below the arm 68 on the pivot rod 72 is the member 13 which rests upon the threaded portion of the reel IT. The bolt 18 having a threaded upper portion and a nonthreaded lower portion of reduced diameter extends through the arm 66 with its lower end lightly contacting with or closely approaching the upper surface of the member. The spring 11 is coiled around the lower portion 15 of the bolt M and is compressed between the upper surface of the member l3 and the lower surface of the arm 66 so that it exerts downward pressure upon the member 13 to cause it to exert downward pressure upon the reel ll; The nut 18 attached to the cylinder I9 through which the bolt extends and which is attached to the arm 19 adjustably positions the bolt upon the arm 66.

The frame 6'! has a pair of closely spaced extensions 80 which extend horizontally on both sides of the narrow'upright member 8| and fit closely to same. The upright member 8! has its base 82 attached to the frame l8 and serves to prevent side to side movement of the frame 81 during its up and down movement by the rod 85. The rod 83 extends vertically through the arm 88 and is held thereby and its lower end contacts the base 82. The spring 84 is coiled around the rod 83 and is compressed between the base 82 and the arm 88 and exerts upward pressure upon the frame 81 tending to cause it to release its pressure exerted'through the rollers 18 and member 18, upon the reel l1.

The lever 85 is pivotally mounted on the front of the panel In on the screw 88 which is screwed into the front of the panel. The roller 81 is rotatably mounted in one end of the lever 85 and contacts with the lower surfaces of the rolls 28 and 28. The rod 88 extends through the other end of the lever 85 and is connected at its lower end to one end ofthe coil spring 88, the other end of the spring 88 being attached at 88 to the panel Ill. The effect of the spring 89 is to cause the lever 85 to press the roller 81 against the rolls 28 and 28 to oppose through friction, their movement.

Extending through the right hand ends (facing Fig. 1 of the drawings) of the levers 5| and 85,

is the bolt 8| having a threaded upper portion.

upon which is screwed the nuts 82 for varying the effective length of the bolt and for holding it in position, andhaving a lower head 83. The bolt 8| is provided for removing the friction of the roller 81 when the machine is started up. When the machine is started up, the end 84 of the dance lever 5| is lifted upwardly by the operator, this causing counterclockwise rotation of the levers 58 and 82 (Fig. 2) and upward movement of the rod 85 to decrease the pressure of the rollers 18 and member 1| upon the reel l1. At

the same time. the bolt 8| is lifted upwardly and it lifts the right hand end of the lever 85 up wardly against the influence of the spring 88, and causes the roller 81 to move downwardly out of engagement with the rolls 28 and 28. When the winding has started, the end 84 of the lever 5| is released and the dance lever again controls the tension in the thread at the reel l1, and the roller 81 again contacts the rolls 28 and 28.

When the machine has been started as has just been described, upon release of the end 94 of the dance lever 5|, the automatic tensioning mechanism controls the tensioning of and degree of elongation of the elastic winding thread as will now be described.

, When increases in tension take place in the thread adjacent the core 28, the roll 58 is moved downwardly causing the dance lever 5| to rotate a in a counterclockwise direction and to rotate with it and in the same direction, the lever 58'. This causes decreased tension in the spring 8| and reduces the downward pressure of the lever 82 upon the rod 85, permitting the rod 85 to move upwa ily under the influence of the spring 88 which exerts pressure upon the frame 81 to move it upwardly from the supporting frame l8. This causes upward movement of the rollers 18 and the member 13 reducing their pressure upon the reel H to permit the reel to revolve more freely and thus to decrease the tension in the thread between the reel l1 and the core 28.

When decreases in tension belowthe desired degree, take place in the thread adjacent the core, the roll 58 moves upwardly causing the dance lever 5| to rotate ina clockwise direction and to rotate with it and in the same direction, the lever 58. This causes increased tension in the spring 8| causing it to pull the lever 82 downwardly to cause the rod to movedownwardly.

This downward movement of the rod 85 causes it to move the frame 81 downwardly to press the rollers 18 and the member 13 more tightly against the reel l1, thus opposing rotation of the reel and causing greater tension in the thread between the reel and the core.

The tension of the thread is thus controlled at the supply reel, the most remotely located pointin the machine from the core being wound. The tensioning is thus distributed over a substantial length of thread, thus decreasing the possibility of breakage due to the application of the tensioning force. The tensioning'at the supply reel is seen to respond to changes in tension in the thread adjacent the core being wound. Smoothness of action and absence of abrupt action which would tend to break the thread, is provided by the springs 51 and 8| which smooth out the action of the dance lever upon the movement of the rod 85.

Many modifications and changes in detail will readily occur to those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention and having shown and described an illustrative construction embodying the features thereof, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. A golf ball winding machine comprising core rotating means, thread elongating means for supplying elongated thread to said rotating means, means for passing thread from a remote point to said elongating means for elongation, thread tensioning means at said remote point, and means responsive to changes in the tension in the elongated thread between said rotating means and said elongating means for adjusting said tensioning means.

2. A golf ball winding machine comprising a thread supply reel, core rotating means, thread elongating means between said reel and said rotatingmeans, thread tensioning means at said reel, and means responsive to changes in tension in the elongated thread between said elongating means and said rotating means for adjusting said tensioning means.

3. A golf ball winding machine comprising a thread supply reel, core rotating means, thread elongating means between said reel and said rotating means, means for variably impeding the rotation of said reel, and means responsive to changes in tension in the elongated thread between said elongating means and said rotating means for adjusting said means for impeding the rotation of said reel.

4. A golf ball winding machine comprising a panel, core rotating means supported on said panel, thread elongating means supported on said panel, means for passing thread for elongation to said elongating means from a point remote from said panel, a lever pivoted on said panel, a roll rotatably mounted on said lever for contact with the elongated thread between said elongating means and said rotating means, adjustable thread tensioning means at said remote point, and a train of mechanism connecting said lever and said tensioning means whereby movement of said lever is made effective to control the'adjustment of the tensioning means.

5. A golf ball winding machine comprising a panel, core rotating means projecting forwardly from the front of said panel, thread elongating means projecting forwardly from the front of said panel, means for passing thread for elongation to said elongating means from a. point remote from said panel, a pivoted lever on the front of said panel, a roll rotatably mounted on said lever for contact with the thread between said elongating means and said rotating means, thread tensioning means at said remote point, and means extending through said panel connecting said lever and said tensioning means for controlling the action of the latter.

6. A golf ball winding machine comprising a panel, core rotating means projecting forwardly from the front of said panel, thread elongating means projecting forwardly from the front of said panel, means for passing thread for elongation to said elongating means from a point remote from said panel, a pivoted lever on the front of said panel, a roll rotatably mounted on said lever for contact with the thread between said elongating means and said rotating means, thread tensioning means at said remote point, a lever pivoted on the back side of said panel, means connecting said levers through said panel, and means connecting said second lever and said tensioning means for controlling the action of the latter.

7. A golf ball winding machine comprising a panel, core rotating means projecting forwardly from the front of said panel, thread elongating means projecting forwardly from the front of said panel, means for passing thread for elongation to said elongating means from a point remote from said panel, a pivoted lever on the front of said panel, a roll rotatably mounted on said lever for contact with the thread between said elongating means and said rotating means, thread tensioning means at said remote point, a lever pivoted on the back side of said panel, ineans rnovably connecting said levers through said panel, and means including resilient means and non-resilient means connecting the latter w lever and said tensioning means for controlling the action of the tensioning means.

8. A golf ball winding machine comprising a panel, core rotating means supported on said panel, thread elongating means supported on said panel, a thread supply reel supported above said panel, thread tensioning means at said reel, a lever pivoted on said panel, a roll rotatably mounted on said lever for contact with the elongated thread between said elongating means and said rotating means, and means including resilient and non-resilient means connecting said lever and said tensioning means for controlling the action of the latter.

9. A golf ball winding machine having a frame and a panel on the frame, and including in its structure core rotating means projecting forwardly from the front of said panel, thread elongating means projecting forwardly from the front of said panel, a vertical, tubular standard extending upwardly from said frame, a thread supply reel mounted on said standard, means for variably impeding the rotation of said reel, a lever pivoted on the front of said panel, a roll carried by said lever for contact with the elongated thread between said elongating means and said rotating means, and a rod within said standard and having connections at its lower end with said lever and connected at its upper end to said means for impeding the rotation of said reel.

10. A golf ball winding machine having a frame and a panel on the frame, comprising core rotating means projecting forwardly from the front of said panel, thread elongating means projecting forwardly from the front of said panel, a vertical for connecting said lever behind the panel and said rod for controlling the action of said impeding means on the reel.

11. A golf ball winding machine having a frame and a panel on the frame, comprising core rotating means projecting forwardly from the front of said panel, thread elongating means projecting forwardly from the front of said panel, a vertical tubular standard extending upwardly from said frame, a thread supply reel mounted on said standard, means for variably impeding the rotation of said reel, a lever pivoted on the front of said panel, a roll carried by said lever for contact with the elongated thread between said elongating means and said rotating means, a rod connected to said means for impeding the rotation of said reel and extending through said standard to a point behind said panel, a lever pivoted on the back side of said panel and connected to said rod, and means extending through said panel and connecting said levers whereby one is moved by the other.

12. A golf ball winding machine having a frame and a panel on the frame, comprising core rotating means projecting forwardly from the front of said panel, thread elongating means projecting forwardly from the front of said panel, a vertical tubular standard extending upwardly from said frame, a thread supply reel mounted on said standard, means for variably impeding the rotation of said reel, a lever pivoted on the front of said panel, a roll rotatably mounted upon said lever for contact with the elongated thread between said elongating means and said rotating means, a rod connected to said means for impeding the rotation of said reel and extending through said standard to a point behind said panel, a lever pivoted on the back side of said panel and connected through said panel with said first mentioned lever, and means including resilient means connecting said rod and said lever behind the panel.

13. A golf ball winding machine having a frame and a panel on the frame, comprising core rotating means projecting forwardly from the front of said panel, thread elongating means projecting forwardly from the frontof said panel, a vertical tubular standard extending upwardly from said frame, a thread supply reel mounted on said standard, means for variably impeding the rotation of said reel, a lever pivoted on the front of said panel, a roll rotatably mounted upon said lever for contact with the elongated thread between said elongating means and said rotating means, a rod connected to said means for impeding the rotation of said reel and extending through said standard to a point behind said panel, a lever pivoted on the back side of said panel and connected through said panel with said first mentioned lever, a second lever pivoted on the back side of said panel and connected to said rod, and means resiliently connecting the levers behind the panel whereby one moves the other.

14. A golf ball winding machine having a frame and a panel on the frame, including in its structure core rotating means projecting forwardly from the front of saidjpan'el, thread elongating means projecting. forwardly from the front of said panel, a vertical tubular standard extending upwardly from said frame, a thread supply reel mounted on said standard, means for variably impeding the rotation of said reel, a lever pivoted on the front of said panel, a roll rotatably mounted upon said lever for contact with the elongated thread between said elongating means and said 15. A golf ball winding machine having a frame and a panel on the frame, comprising core rotating means projecting forwardly from the front of said panel, thread elongating means projecting forwardly from the front of said panel, a vertical tubular standard extending upwardly from said frame, a thread supply reel mounted on said standard, means for variably impeding the rotation of said reel, a lever. pivoted on the front of said panel, a roll rotatably mounted upon said lever for contact with the elongated thread between said elongating means and said rotating means, a rod connected to said means for impeding the rotation of said reel and extending through said standard to a point behind said panel, a lever pivoted. on the back side of said panel and connected through said panel with said first mentioned lever, a second lever pivoted on the back side of said panel and connected to said rod, means resiliently connecting the two levers behind the panel, and means resiliently connecting one of said latter levers to said frame.

16. A golfball winding machine having a frame and a panel on the frame, comprising core rotating means projecting forwardly from the front of said panel, thread elongating means projecting forwardly from the front of said panel, a vertical tubular standard extending upwardly from said frame, a thread supply reel mounted on said standard, means for variably impeding the rota,- tion of said reel, a lever pivoted on the front of said panel, a roll carried by said lever for contact with the elongated thread between said elongating means and said rotating means, a rod con-. nected to said means for impeding the rotation of said reel and extending through said standard to a point behind said panel, a lever pivoted on the back side of said panel and connected through said panel with said first mentioned lever, a second lever pivoted on the back side of said panel,

'standard to a point said second lever containing a slot, a projection on said rod extending in said slot, and means connecting the two levers which are located behind the panel so that one moves the other.

17. A golf ball winding machine having a frame and a panel on the frame, comprising core rotating means projecting forwardly from thefront of said panel, thread elongating means projecting forwardly from the front of said panel, a vertical tubular standard extending upwardly from said frame, a thread supply reel mounted on said standard,,means for variably impeding the rotation of said reel, a lever pivoted on the front of said panel, a roll carried by said lever for contact with the elongated thread between said elongating .means and said rotating means, a rod connected to said means for impeding the rotation of said reel and extending through said standard to a point be d saidpanel, a lever pivoted on the back side of said panel and connected through said panel with said first mentioned lever, a lever pivoted on the back side of said panel, said lever containing a slot, a projection on said rod extending in said slot, and means resiliently connecting the two levers which are located behind the panel. 18. A golf ball winding machine having a frame and a panel on the frame, comprising core rotating means projecting forwardly from the front of said panel, thread elongating means projecting forwardly from the front of said panel, a vertical tubular standard extending upwardly from said frame, a thread supply reel mounted on said standard, means for variably impeding the rotation of said reel, a lever pivoted on the front of said panel, a roll carried by said lever for contact with the elongated thread between said elongating means and said rotating means, a rod connected to said means for impeding the rotation of said reel and extending through said behind said panel, a lever pivoted on the back side of said panel and connected through said panel with said first mentioned lever, a second lever pivoted on the back side of said panel, said second lever containing a slot, a projection on said rod extending in said slot, means resiliently connecting the levers which are located behind the panel, and means resiliently connecting one of them and said frame.

19. A golf ball winding machine comprising, core-rotating means, a thread supply reel having a retarding device associated therewith, threadelongating rolls located between said reel and said core-rotating means and having also a retarding device associated therewith, and means under the control of the operator for temporarily and simultaneously releasing 'both of said retarding devices. 7

CHARLES R. SIBLEY. 

